AMANDA PLATELL: So sad Harry was missing in action on this most solemn day – I imagine he’s wondering whether his decision to shun so much of what he loves was worth it

Prince William spoke for us all when he said at the D-Day events: ‘It is almost impossible to conceive the courage it would have taken to encounter the fury of battle that day.’

At the deeply moving commemoration, William wore an array of medals and stood next to world leaders, in place of his father, King Charles, who had to ration his appearances due to his cancer treatment.

A moment never to be forgotten, because the baton was temporarily passed from father to son. And one that made Prince Harry’s absence clearer than ever.

How must Harry have felt as he observed events from the seclusion of his Californian mansion while his wife Meghan made jam for a living?

After all, Harry was the one the veterans loved, and his natural camaraderie made it easy for him to joke and laugh with them. Unlike William, Harry knows what it is like to see active service and partially understands what these brave soldiers went through. He too would have proudly displayed his medals on this most memorable day had he not severed ties with his homeland and declared war on his family in his memoirs Spare.

Prince William, 41, and Prince Harry, 39, are adrift as they attend King Charles’ 75th birthday party last November

The Duke of Sussex talks to Chelsea Pensioners in 2019 while wearing full military fatigues

Yet I couldn’t see a single post about the 80th anniversary of D-Day on the Sussexes’ website. Why nothing from him about the extraordinary courage of the veterans? Perhaps I missed every tribute he paid, but his apparent silence only accentuates how he has left his previous life behind, as well as his distance from family and country.

He must find the world a lonely place, looking on sadly, I think, at the solemn events of this week, no longer speaking to his brother, and wondering whether his decision to shun so much of what he knows and loves was worth it. How tragic for him that Harry went missing on June 6.

Ugly side of Alec

Just weeks before his manslaughter trial following the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his low-budget western film Rust, Alec Baldwin announces that he and his wife Hilaria are filming a new reality TV show that will air next year the US is broadcast.

“We invite you into our home to experience the ups and downs, the good, the bad, the wild and the crazy.”

Halyna’s family could rightly describe such an embarrassing show as The Good, The Very Bad and The Downright Ugly.

What right does Rishi have to call on young people to sign up for a year of National Service when he himself cannot even last a day at the historic D-Day ceremonies and quits halfway through?

Accused of selfishness after dumping husband Eamonn Holmes of 27 years precisely because he was suffering from a serious illness, Ruth Langsford has barely been off social media to post happy photos of herself – even one with her roots done. And she’s still wearing her wedding ring! I suspect her next time on Loose Women will be when she takes it off so she can milk her scrapped marriage for all it’s worth.

Good luck to Olivia Henson, bride of the Duke of Westminster, who arrived with the train of her beautiful dress billowing in the wind. When that happened to me, the priest said it was a sign that the angels were upholding my happiness. My marriage lasted six years. Just say it.

Hairy Biker Si King posts a photo of himself with a glass of beer, two unopened bottles and an empty chair for his best friend Dave Myers, who passed away in February. After losing my best friend Gary in March, I still put down a bottle of his favorite, London Pride, knowing he will drink it while looking down at me.

Go finance yourself, luvvies

Hollywood stars Keira Knightley and Renee Zellweger are among those calling for money to be taken from all film budgets for an anti-bullying watchdog to protect actresses like them on set.

Keira is worth around $80 million, Renee $90 million, while co-signers include Dakota Johnson ($14 million) and Sienna Miller ($18 million).

Oh dear! Let’s hope these super-rich luvvies, who could fund a watchdog at a moment’s notice, dig deep into their Prada wallets to help the struggling actresses who follow in their wake.

Keira Knightley, 39, is among the silver screen stars calling for the creation of an anti-bullying watchdog in a bid to protect actresses on set

Reduce calories to reduce cancer

Researchers claim dramatic weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy cut the risk of obesity-related cancers by a fifth and bowel cancer by half.

Very well, but it is clear that obesity is a major risk factor for cancer and that it decreases as weight decreases.

Considering that the annual NHS cost of obesity is £6.5 billion, bigger people should just stop eating all the cakes instead of expecting expensive free drugs.

Curvy Fiona Harvey, the alleged stalker who identified herself as the inspiration for the deranged character Martha in Netflix hit series Baby Reindeer, has filed a £133 million lawsuit against the streaming giant for emotional distress and reputational damage. That’s quite a chunk – I estimate more than £10 million per stone of her actual body weight.

Helen is worth her £250,000

Cost cutting at Coronation Street has been blamed for the departure after 50 years of star Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt on a salary of £250,000.

God damn it, considering Gail had five husbands, one of which was a serial killer who tried to take her mother and buried all but one of them; and considering she’s been duped for five decades, survived three assassination attempts, and been held hostage, I’d say she was worth every cent of her glorious half-century!

Kate expectations

Ellie Bamber as 30-year-old supermodel Kate Moss in a new film is reminiscent of what her favorite photographer Mario Testino once told me: “Those chiseled cheekbones… Kate’s face is a blank canvas on which to paint the most beautiful pictures.”

Ellie is not Kate; she looks more like Jennifer Gray in Dirty Dancing, right before she got sexy with Patrick Swayze.

Ellie Bamber, 27, is pictured in a signature dress on the streets of London as she plays Kate Moss for an upcoming biopic

…But does she look more like Jennifer Gray in Dirty Dancing before she got sexy with Patrick Swayze?

When a neighbor’s home with two babies sleeping upstairs was broken into at 1 a.m. this week, it was captured on security cameras. In any case, police arrived quickly, but said they could not identify the burglars and their car, despite CCTV footage showing the license plate. Their advice? Buy new locks on your windows. A sad situation where even the police think it is our job to protect our homes and families from villains.

Westminster Wars

• Watching Tom Cruise almost get into the Prime Minister’s limousine at Battersea, where Rishi was on the election route, I felt a fleeting glimmer of hope for the Tories – someone with charisma and cunning who could conquer impossible missions. Unfortunately, it was a mix-up. Tom just tried to get into the wrong car.

• As soon as Nigel Farage declares that he will lead Reform UK and stand as an MP, the Tories poll collapses and Reform is within two points. I’m not sure whether to laugh, cry, or throw a milkshake in my own face.

• The BEST election coverage goes to Natasha Clark, LBC political editor. Her daily recap lasts exactly one minute – about as many elections as we can stomach.